Album Review: Midwich Cuckoos – Death or Glory (Onslaught Music)

Punk crossover band, Midwich Cuckoos, are pleased to reveal their new album Death or Glory, which is released physically on 8th April 2022 via Onslaught Music.

Wielding an ambitious and experimental concept album with a narrative that follows new vocalist Tanzy Valayne’s journey of atonement to regain entry to heaven, the new look Midwich Cuckoos are a fine-tuned 12-legged rock’n’roll, punk and metal machine.

Don’t let the 22 tracks put you off, as this is a punk and roll album and a sizable chunk of the tracks are actually just short intros. Which is how this album kicks off, with the Death Intro, followed then by Majesty, the Crosses Intro and Crosses itself.

A blast of conceptual punk hits, with spoken word segments, that see the Midwich Cuckoos channelling the raw spirits of old for a set of songs that are wild and very punchy. Exciting and energetic, the catchiness of the groove and spit-fire vocals can’t be understated.

It’s what keeps the heat high for the lively and chorus driven Sucker, the head-banger that is Hourglass and the frenzy of punk-rock that comes from To the Grave. The latter also featuring interesting intros too.

You Used to Be Cool has a short tempo switch up at the start that sees Midwich Cuckoos up the rock before turning the crank and delivering a galloping slice of catchiness. Glory Intro continues the story before Milk Tears showcases a melodrama that hasn’t been heard yet. Though it is still uniquely foot-tapping.

The halfway point reached, it’s intro and punky fire once again with Blood Mother and Shrink My Head. Followed by the massive sing-along and gang-vocal groove of Freddy, the short piece of atmosphere that is Ultimatum Intro, the blistering body-shaking hit that is Ultimatum and the superb build up and expulsion of vigour that comes from Ballad of Tanzy Velayne.

It’s not quite over yet though as Death & Outro and XIII wrap up the story in style. Midwich Cuckoos proving that such a gargantuan and free-flowing album is infinitely listenable.

Midwich Cuckoos – Death or Glory Full Track Listing:

1. Death Intro
2. Majesty
3. Crosses Intro
4. Crosses
5. Sucker
6. Hourglass Intro
7. Hourglass
8. To The Grave Intro
9. To The Grave
10. You Used to Be Cool
11. Glory Intro
12. Milk Tears
13. Blood Mother Intro
14. Blood Mother
15. Shrink My Head Intro
16. Shrink My Head
17. Freddie
18. Ultimatum Intro
19. Ultimatum
20. Ballad Of Tanzy Velayne
21. Death & Outro
22. XIII

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